Sword Art Online: I will Protect your smile
by comanche123
Summary: [Loosely based in the SAO canon plot] Kensuke Minamoto is betrothed to Asuna Yuuki, but under the surface of an outstanding kendoka is an insecure boy, who fell in love immediately with Asuna, though she doesn't share the same feeling for him. Neither in real world nor in Aincrad, for Hitokiri (Kensuke's avatar in SAO). (It's a story of unrequited love, action, fights, and angst)
1. Chapter 1

Sword Art Online: I will protect your smile

Prologue

[Three years after Aincrad release, in the 100th floor boss' dungeon]

The boy in samurai-syle avatar, with a helmet with a golden crescent moon saw to his right, who was called Hitokiri [slayer] in the death game found that Kirito was barely able to stand on his feet, his own legs were also shaking of the exhaustion, but Kayaba was still defiant in front of both of them, although the efforts of the best players of Aincrad trapped in the 100th boss dungeon, there was not a single scratch on Kayaba's armor. It was the final battle, the battle that they needed to win to escape from Aincrad and from SAO, and ironically the battle they were clearly losing.

-If you had just killed Kayaba in the 75th floor, we wouldn't be here- recriminated Kirito to Hitokiri

-Don't feel so stressed, after all, none of you will leave this game, you will all perish here- added Kayaba almost enjoying the tension between them.

They knew that since his humiliating defeat in the 75th floor Kayaba had changed for worse, now he was decided to impede anyone could beat the game, and therefore he was decided to kill everyone in there.

-Kill us, kill of all us?-

Thought Hitokiri, he had grew up a lot in the 3 years that Aincrad had lasted, and had never felt fear of dying, but in that moment he turned his head back to see Asuna, badly wounded, hold by Artemis who desperately attempted to avoid Asuna's life bar reached zero, but for everyone she was merely delaying the inevitable, Asuna will die in matter of minutes.

Hitokiri still didn't fear to be killed, but he then understand that he did feared to see Asuna dying, then he felt ashamed, he understood he had never been in love with Asuna, he had simply nurtured a desire to possess her, he felt ashamed of the many times he had said he loved her, but he had only interfered with the relation of Kirito and Asuna, and now he felt even more ashamed, he was standing there while Asuna was dying.

A hit on the floor took him back from his thoughts, Kirito had fell heavily on the ground as Kayaba had rejected another attack once again. Hitokiri then understood why Asuna loved Kirito so much, he knew that it was impossible to attack Kayaba but he was still trying.

In that moment while Kirito was still trying to stand up again, Hitokiri grabbd his shoulder as if he were trying to help him, Kirito was surprised since they were sworn rivals, but then he felt how Hitokiri clawed a pin on his arm, leaving him paralyzed.

-What are you doing?!-

Asked Kirito angry as he didn't understand why Hitokiri had done so, precisely in the moment when they needed every one to help. But Hitokiri didn't reply, instead he walked calmly towards Kayaba.

-Kirito- san, please take care of the smile of Yuuki-dono-

Kirito was surprised that Hitokiri didn't referred him despectively, surprised that he was asking to take care of Asuna, and most surprised of the calmness of Hitokiri's voice. With an expression of confusion he saw that Hitokiri had a sad smile while walked.

-Are you going to fight me frontally?, haha I guess you have become finally insane or you are hopeless and want to die already- said Kayaba with arrogance, as it seemed that Hitokiri was truly going for a suicidal charge, and indeed he was.

In that precise moment, while Hitokiri advanced towards Kayaba he closed his eyes for a second, he thought in the death of his parents and older brother, the years of harsh training kenjutsu with his grandfather, the three years he had fought in Aincrad going from a casual player to a feared swordsman, he remembered the how begun his longstanding grudge with Kirito the brief months when he and Asuna were dating until she discovered the horrible things he had done, and the day he defeated Kayaba in the 75th floor.

But above all, he remembered the cold rainy day of January when he met Asuna Yuuki in the real world, the same day that he knew that girl with hazel eyes and red brownish hair was his fiancée.

He remembered with a tear the first time he said, the same phrase he wanted whisper before dying:

-I will protect your smile Asuna Yuuki hime [Princess Asuna Yuuki]… with my life-


	2. Chapter 2: Win your lives again

After getting the nervegear, Hitokiri appeared suddenly in Aincrad, indeed the realism of SAO was overwhelming, and he saw his arms and hands, there was not a single difference from the real world.

SAO had improved itself from the beta test, and Hitokiri wanted to enjoy it, even when the memories of a terrible day were still very fresh, it was time to escape from the boredom and responsibilities of the real world and having some fun in Aincrad.

But perhaps it was too realistic, as Hitokiri reflected on the calm waters of a near fountain, the night before, in the real world he had been crying a lot, and his avatar also had inflamed eyes.

-Hitokiri-kun!- Said a petite girl who immediately hugged Hitokiri's chest by the back.

-Artemis-chan, you surprised me- Replied Hitokiri as he turned his head back to see the girl, as the girl found him in a uncomfortable moment, but it was too late the big smile of Artemis find the insecure expression of Hitokiri. It had been like that since they met in the beta test.

-Is it something wrong?- asked Artemis, tough they never had seen each other in the real life, she had come to know him so well, that she needed only a second to realize that something was wrong with him.

-I-I am fine, Artemis-chan- said Hitokiri with a shaking voice as he felt discovered by his friend, but as he didn't want to worry Artemis he caressed her hair softly to ensure her of it. He thought he could lie to her, but he was wrong.

Artemis hugged him gently, and though she was two or three inches shorter than Hitokiri, it seemed like an elder sister hugging a little brother.

-Everything it's ok now, Hitokiri-kun- she said as she could feel the many problems of Hitokiri in the real world.

In that moment, Hitokiri was happy he was unable to lie to her and hugged her back, as he did needed to feel some caring.

-Now that things are better with you, let's go to the main square, I'm sure the rest of the guild will be waiting for us, and Hitokiri-kun-

As they walked Artemis got blushed and saw Hitokiri as if she were afraid of him, they had been silent just walking as they used to, when with apparent no reason Artemis stand in front of Hitokiri and asked him:

-Hitokiri-kun do you think I'm pretty?-

Hitokiri was surprised, and stared at Artemis long black hair in a hime haircut, her red blushed cheeks, her lips smiling half open due to her agitated breathing, she was indeed a Japanese beauty.

-Yes, Artemis-chan, you are a pretty lady. Now let's keep going otherwise the guys might go for a quest leaving us-

Hitokiri didn't think in his answer, he just said what he thought should be polite, after all, he was already engaged with a hazel eyed red haired girl, and he had only eyes for her "princess". But for Artemis, to listen Hitokiri telling her that she was pretty had rocked her world.

As they entered the main square of Begginning Town they saw their guild mates discussing about the quest to take, they were just like they were in the beta test.

But before Hitokiri could approach them Artemis grabbed his forearm and pulled him away from there until an alley. Artemis face was gloomy, Hitokiri was a bit slow to realize of that sort of things, as he was a late-bloomer, but he still was going to ask her if she was ok, when Artemis suddenly turned around revealing a lovely smile and her blushed cheeks.

-Hitokiri-kun!... ahem… Hitokiri-kun – she said without yelling this time- you and me know since some months ago, but I don't want to keep hiding these feelings from you, I want to tell you… I want to tell you that I lo…-

Artemis wanted to tell Hitokiri the secret she had hid in the deep of her heart, and even when the scene could have ended like a teenager romantic dream should have, the dream of Artemis and the dreams of every single player were meant to be broken.

The sky become red and black giving a creepy atmosphere, thousands of players were taken to the main square of the Beginning Town all of a sudden, and a giant apparition with the attire of an old hooded faceless being.

Nobody knows what was going, but again Artemis grabbed the hand of Hitokiri, this time it was her who needed to feel secure, Hitokiri turned to her, Artemis' hand was cold of fear, she knew something terrible was about to happen from now on.

-Hitokiri, I'm afraid, I want to leave this game-

Said Artemis just to find that the log out option was nowhere, then, her fears were confirmed as the ghostly figure in the sky revealed a terrible truth:

Attention players. My name is Kayaba Akihiko, welcome to my world.

I'm sure you have realized that the logout option had disappeared of the main menu.

This is not a defect of the game, it is a characteristic of it.

You can't leave SAO by your own. And nobody from the real World can't disconnect or remove the nerve gear, if they do so, the nervegear would produce a powerful microwave that will destroy your brains and kill you.

Unfortunately, many had ignored this warning, and as a result 213 players had lost their life.

Now I want you to remember this clearly, if your HP reaches zero your avatar and yourselves will be lost forever, your mind will be destroyed by the microwave of the nervegear

Win the game and and you have won your lives again.

[Two years later in the 70th floor, Asuna talking]

-It happened two years ago, but I remember every word of what Kayaba said, I guess most of us still remember it and will remember it for the rest of our life. But at that moment, I was shocked thinking that if you hadn't been a jerk with me the day before, I wouldn't have tried the nervegear, I still had my life, Hitokiri-

Said Asuna with resignation and repressed anger towards Hitokiri, who remained silent.


End file.
